Washington, Jan 8, 2009 - Today, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) submitted official remarks into the Congressional Record expressing his support for Israel’s response to the latest round of attacks perpetrated by Hamas in Gaza. The following are excerpts from Cong. Rohrabacher’s statement:

“Today we are saddened by the loss of innocent lives in Gaza…if we are serious about ending this tragedy we must be brutally honest, and not give into ignoring hard truths. In this case the hard truth is that real blame for this carnage in Gaza is traced to actions taken by Hamas, radical Islamists, and those who supply them with rockets and other weapons.

“The hate-filled radicals who launched missiles into Israel-Hamas triggerman, not Israeli pilots- are the ones who are really responsible for the horrible mayhem we are witnessing in Gaza. The radical Islamists ruthlessly and without any remorse did what they knew would bring retaliation and result in the slaughter of their own people. The hatred of Israel in the hearts of these radicals clearly outweighs their commitment to the safety and well being of their own people.

“An honest assessment leads to the conclusion that Hamas doesn’t want peace with Israel and has no desire for a two-state solution. Hamas wants a war that will destroy Israel.

“Yes, the bloodshed is horrible, and yes, Israel is doing what any other sovereign nation would do. It is protecting its people by retaliation when attacked…It’s the hard truth we can’t ignore if we are to someday end this terrible heart-wrenching violence.”